Apparatus for boring wells and the like



Aug. 14, 1928. 1,681,094

M. A. CAPELIUSCHNICOFF' APPARATUS FOR BORING WELLS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 18, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 java/ 22 07 fl g zza s'ckrg (fra ff M. A. CAPELIUSCHNICOFF APPARATUS FOR BORING WELLS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 18, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet latented Aug. 14, 1928-,

,umraojs'rivr zs PATENT OFFICE.

- HLTVEY ALCUNOVITCH CAPEIJUSCENICbFI, OI BAKU, RUSSIA.

arram'rus roa some warms arm rm: LIKE.

Application tiled August 18, 1924, Serldllo. 782,779, and in Great Britain September 11:188.

, This invention relates to the drilling of boreholes, as in well sinking, by means of a rotary drilling apparatus of the kind in whichwater or the slush pumped from the 5 well is supplied under pressure through a tube or a series of connected tubes, which do not rotate, to a hollow drill head or chamber in which is mounted a hydraulic rotor or turbine which is driven by thesaid water supply and which drives through gearing a spindle or tubular stem carrying the cutting tool, or hit, the water discharged from the turbine being directed towards the bottom of the bore hole toentrain the dbris produced bythe boring and facilitate its discharge from the well. i The present invention consists in an improved construction of apparatus of this class in which the drilling bit is driven by g a hydraulic turbine through atrain of epi-" cyclic gears whereby the n'eeessary reduction ratio between rotor spindle and drill spindle can be obtained within. a very small diametral space: Further, by using an axial flow consumption and low turbine speed are obtained, and this in conjunction with the epicyelic transmissiongear makes it possible to run thetdrill spindle at as low a speedas gfililrable to obtain maximum torque on the \The u per bearing of the turbine rotor spindle is contained in the turbine guide ring which is screwed into the internally 3 Also the entire body of water discharged from the turbine after being by-passedaround the transmissiongear is passed into f the interior of the hollow driving spindle andthence to 'thehollow drill which is provided with suitable Iafgrtures for discharging the water or 51 against the bottom of the bore hole. p I

These an other features of the invention are hereina r described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatlc representation of the equipment I required for yearryin turbine with fixed guide ring a 'lowvwater' threaded casing or shelljof the drill head or v out the, method of operation involved m t e present a longitudinal and a transverse section of a drill head embodying the invention.

A pump A, operating through a hydraulic accumulator B, forces the slush into the bore hole through non-rotating pipes C for the purpose first of driving the rotary boring apparatus indicated by D which operates the drill E, and secondly for loosening and grirlllging up to the surface the spoil of the The boringapparatus includes a hollow drill head D which is connected with the non-rotating drill-piping C. In the upperend of the casing D. is a hydraulic rotor or turbine F which is drivenby the water or slush forced into the bore hole by pump A.- 1 The rotor spindle F, which is journalled at its upper end in hearings in the stationary uide or nozzle ring F of the rotor, drives the drill socket member G through an epicyclic train of gears H, I, I I, J the planet wheels I, I I being carried on stub shafts secured in the drill socket member G which is caused to rotate about the common axis by the engagement of the planet gears with an internally toothed portion of an inner casing or sleeve L secured to the hollow drill head D. Thrust bearings K are provided between shoulders G, G on. the

rill socket member and an annular flange L on the sleeve L secured to the drill-piping C which sleeve, together with a ea or cover M encircling therotary spindle F forms a closed casing for the driving gears The gears are designed to give an appropriate reduction of speed according to the character. of the work to be done and the construction is such as to permit a ready interchange of gears for changing the speed, of working. T e water or slush, after passing through the vanes of the rotor F, traverses ducts L? in the sleeve L leading to the interiorof the drill socket G and thence through suitableapiertures in the hollowbit i :to the point of wor 'ng of the drill.:

ssiid invention and the means I know s i 1. In 'WeILdrming apparatus of the char actendescribed, the combination of a hollow drill head, axial flow hydraulic turbine havin" a fixed ring'screwed into the hollow, drill, ead, a beariflig within the" said guide ring, a rotor:- spin 0 Having thus described the nature of the jn 'gthe same into practical efiect ,I 7

journalled itsJupper end in said bearing, a drill socket member journalled in the lower end of the hollow drill head, an inner sleeve secured to the drill head and having an internally toothed portion, planetary gears journalled on stub shafts carried b the drill socket member and a gear wheel on the hydraulic turbine rotor spindle meshing with said planetary gears.

2. In well-drilling apparatus of the character described, the combination of a hollow drill head,. an inner sleeve secured thereto, an axial flow hydraulic turbine having a fixed guide ring secured in the upper part of the hollow drill head, a hollow drill socket member journalled in the lower part of the said drill head and closing the lower end of said inner sleeve, a cap encirclin the turbine rotor spindle and closing the upper end of the fixed sleeve, an e'picyclic gear train enclosed within the sleeve and connecting the turbine rotor spindle with the hollow drill socket member, and passages in the wall of the latter member establishing communication between its interior and the space between the hollow drill head and the inner sleeve.

3. In well-drilling apparatus of the char acter described, the combination of a hy draulio turbine, a drill spindle, reduction gear intefgosed between the turbine shaft and the ill spindle, an inner casing or eeaoea sleeve enclosin said reduction gear, an outer shell or rill head, fluid assages between said inner casing and rill head, a hollow drill socket forming part of the drill spindle, said hollow socket having apertures connecting the interior thereof with the said fluid passages, and a hollow bit secured to said hollow socket and provided with outlet apertures.

4. In well-drilling apparatus of the character described, the combination of a hydraulic turbine, a drill spindle, epicyclic reduction gear interposed between the turbine shaft and the drill spindle, a fixed inner casing or sleeve enclosing said reduction gear, said fixed inner casing having on its inner face an internal toothed gear meshing with the planet wheels of said epic 'clic reduction gear, stub shafts on the hea of said drill spindle carrying the said planet wheels, a sun gear wheel fast on the turbine shaft meshing with said planet wheels, said drill spindle having shoulders and said fixed inner casing having an internal flange, and thrust bearings between said shoulders and said internal flange whereby shocks on the drill spindle in either direction are trans mitted directly to the said fixed casing.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

l'wlATVEY ALCUNOVITCH CAPELIUSCHNICOFF. 

